This invention relates to a synthetic plasmid and its transformant aiming at mass-producing an interferon (IFN) in which the primary structure of protein is derived from feline genetic information (hereinafter abbreviated to FeIFN) as a medicine (antiviral drug) by gene manipulation technology. This invention further relates to a gene encoding the FeIFN.
An interferon is a physiologically active substance whose main ingredient is a protein showing antiviral activity and is abbreviated to IFN. And, many literatures have been so far published on the interferon, for example, as Literature 1.
By the progress of gene manipulation technology, the mass production of not only a human IFN but also IFNs of animals such as cattle (Literature 2), horse (Literature 3), dog (Literature 3), etc. became possible. As the result, exploitative researches into the use of IFN as remedies for vital disease, cancer, etc. are carried out with respect to some animals (Literature 4).
With respect to experiments in cats, interferon-.alpha., -.beta. and -.gamma. are reported (Literature 5).
However, there has been no report yet that the mass production of a feline IFN is possible by the application of gen6 manipulation.
With respect to cat, it is known that there are many viral diseases including FLTV (Literature 6), feline leukemia, feline viral rhinotracheitis, feline caliciviral disease and feline infectious peritonitis (Literature 7).
In such circumstances, there has been a report on a case in which the life of a cat infected with FeLV was prolonged by the oral administration of human IFN-.alpha. or bovine IFN-.beta. (Literature 8). If the IFN is administered not orally but by internal injection, it is readily apprehensive that the production of a neutralizing antibody against a heterologous IFN takes place though a more striking effect is expected. If a homologous IFN, that is, a feline IFN becomes readily available, it is expected that the uses of the feline IFN as an antiviral agent and an antitumor agent for a cat are opened.